Halloween Mat and Mundane Chit Chat

The best part of this post is this mat I hooked 2015.  His name is Hester and is a design by Lori Brechlin which was a freebie in an issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects.  Robin I believe this background color is the same dye recipe.

Looking at it now think a thin row of darker value needs to be hooked around the hat.  Uh, hope I do that while it is fresh on my mind...but will I get to it after the last couple days I've had with little sleep?

Okay, I've had a couple bad days but haven't bitched about it until now.  Hmmm, guess that's not true since my patience was lacking with the hooked and stuffed pumpkins.  So maybe it DID start before today.

Everyone gets a spot that needs to be scratched and you don't give it a second thought.  Unless....that spot takes on a new itch feeling.  During sleep a spot on the top of each hand itched and I scratched not awake to understand.  After being rubbed during the night twice or three times the reality of a problem becomes apparent~~~~poison ivy.

A few years ago I had it so bad my body looked like raw meat and was on cortisone pills and topical steroids.  My GP told me once I was so allergic that if anyone was burning leaves with poison ivy in it or cutting grass and wind was blowing my way I'd get it.

I live in the woods and am my own grass cutter.  In spring I go identify the spots and spray.  The last couple times I've cut grass I've worn long pants and long sleeves despite the humidity.  Guess I should have come in and taken a shower because the itch started on my hands and under my chin.  Areas of exposure from the breeze blowback.

It started on top of my hands and a small spot under my chin. After two sleepless nights and still using alcohol rub to dry the area then apply caladryl the contact dermatitis grew.  It is working up the chin along the nose and toward the eye, downward the neck, on my midriff and a spot on my back.  Thank goodness I was able to get an immediate appointment with my primary care physician.

Last night I tied a bandana around my neck so as to not spread the oil of the poison on my pillow case but my neck looked worse this morning.  Thus the rush to get to the doctor.   Now I'm on Prednisone for 14 days and will continue my vigilance with the alcohol rug and caladryl.  I've washed the sheets, will wear long sleeves and gloves to bed and tie that newly washed bandana around my neck again.  

I'd hoped to get my high dose flu shot today but my doctor said since my immune system was compromised and had an active allergy it was not wise today.  So now I've got to wait until this crap is gone.

Hooray for anyone who had the stamina to read all my medical history..or should I spell that...hysterics.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Here are some fall and HalLanterns is my design.  Since I've always wished I had a collection of them decided to hook my own version.

The most recent hooked Halloween rug was Do Goode Be Nice a design by Lori Brechlin and sold by Kris of Spruce Ridge Studios.

Nantucket Broom Ride a design by and offered by the above talented ladies.

Jack which is a design by Barb Carroll and was a free design in an old issue of Rug Hooking Magazine.

The cat Hester was in a Primitive Quilts and Projects issue last year and a design by Lori Brechlin.

This cute Duluth Pumpkin was a very generous kit, complete with pattern on linen, all the wool and buttons by Maria Barton of Star Rug Company.

Hobo Joe was hooked using the same green background as Hester (above).  Hobo Joe is a design by Lucille Festa of American Country Rugs.  Instead of making it a cut out I made it into a mat.

A photo dated 2012 of a mat I hooked using Lori's design which was in her booklet "October Folk".

Well darn, I hooked another of Lori's mats from her Wytch's Stitches with a witch pulling a large pumpking but can't find a photo of that mat. I know I've seen the photo, so must be on another flash drive somewhere.

Happy Haunting everyone.  Yup, I made this cute quilt piece a number of years ago.

Saundra

Happy Hallow's Eve

This neighborhood used to have young kids who would dress up and visit homes in this small community, now they are too old so doubt that I'll have anyone visit tonight.  Even my grandson is of the age where he wants to go out with pals so their moms drive them around then they gather and share the bounty at the end of the evening.

Below is a Netty LaCroix witch I made several years ago and subsequently sold at a show.  Loved making her dolls.

Then here is a pattern called Hobo Joe, designed by Lucille Festa as a cut out and I chose to hook the background and added his chest.

Before him I hooked Hester which was a free pattern in Primitive Quilts and Projects.

Last year I designed and hooked Mache Jacks just before Halloween.  I don't own an antique jack-o-lantern but always wanted one.  My blogger gal pal Lauren (Rugs and Pugs) has some and you should see her decorations.  Bet she has lots of candy to hand out too.

And of course my latest and greatest treasure just finished is Nantucket Broom Ride, a design offered by Spruce Ridge Studios from the art work of Lori Brechlin.

The last few days I've been very busy doing patterns and have been remiss in acknowledging some newbie hooker questions.  I've written to the gal to let her know I've not abandoned her, just busy.  And tonight's post was easy since the pictures were readily available and didn't have to think much, lol.

Kim, sweetie, hope those clowns don't come near your house.  

BOO to all of you.
Saundra

Natural Wool ~ For Sale and A Recipe

First I'll speak about the recipe called Soft Green which is in one of my favorite dye books Beautiful Wool by Laurice Heath.  The Soft Green recipe uses Cushing Dyes; 1 1/2 t. Bronze Green, 1/2 t. Khaki Drab in one cup boiling water.  Then from that 1 cup you apply the dye one tablespoon at a time in your pot over natural wool until you achieve the intensity you want.  

Remember that well water vs. city water, as well as physical location does have an affect on how the final wool turns out. So be sure to add only 1 tablespoon of dye at a time, you can always add more.

The background wool used in both Hester and now Hobo Joe is this green below which was overdyed on natural wool.  The ticket I attached to the wool indicates the recipe used was Soft Wool, 4 T from Beautiful Wool.

When I dye wool I'd usually do a couple different dye pots and put 4 T of the solution in a pot and the other maybe 3 T of dye.  Normally I start with one tablespoon and add to see what I like.  You can always add more if it isn't dark enough.  Here is the background on Hobo Joe, close to the end.  

Here's Hester, a design by Lori Brechlin and was a free pattern in the last issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects.  Looks like I used up the lighter pieces of wool from the same dye for this mat.  The outside border and base was from an as is textured piece of wool.

Now about that natural wool sale.  Below is a picture of one yard of UN-washed natural 100% wool.  If you click on the picture it will enlarge and you can read the tag.  

NOTE:  I have received orders from folks who are a NO-REPLY Blogger making their order in the 'Comment" section.  I cannot reply to you since you are a  DUH, "no reply' blogger.   You can learn about how to fix that if you search my blog.  So IF you want to place an order follow the instructions and click on the HERE that is provided below.  

I am not over dying much natural wool these days since there are so many colors left in my stash to use up so really need to clean some of this wool out.  The natural is $15 per yard and I've several yards.  

As you can see there is more on the bolt.  At this time I'm not ready to sell my as is textured wool but that might be next because when I walk in that wool room I become over whelmed.  

If you are interested in the natural wool sale, again it will be $15/yard, unwashed and shipping will be added.  If you'd like to inquire as to postage tell me how many yards you are interested in, your address and I'll give you a price on shipping.  Then you can decide and either send check, money order or could send you a PayPal invoice.  To place an order send a message with the information HERE.

IF any of you are interested and going to Cape May NEXT WEEK I can deliver the wool to you there and no shipping of course.  Just let me know what you want so that I can have it packed in my car by next Saturday.  

I will ship wool out until next Friday and then if there is any wool left to ship it will have to wait until I return home from Cape May.

It's storming here again so should get off this computer.  Have a good weekend folks.

Saundra

Hester Finished and Windows 10 (yup, again!)

I'll post about the fun stuff first.  Hester is all hooked and now only needs steaming and binding.  Haven't decided how to bind it yet but here's Hester, which is a free pattern in the latest issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects.  The design is by Lori Brechlin.

And this morning I am heading back to the Geek Squad with my brand new, not even two weeks old, Windows 10 computer.  Yup, two days ago started getting 'critical errors' at the start button and Cortana ~  those of you who have Windows 10 will know what I'm talking about.  And for those of you who don't have Windows 10, lucky you.

Anyway, I'd get that critical error message and would be told to restart and the problem would resolve itself.  After this happening a few times finally neither Cortana or the start button work.  So an irritating and inconvenient 35 minute trip to Best Buy Geek Squad to get my new computer to work......hopefully.  At least I was able to post a picture.

Update on computer:  having returned from Geek Squad they said they had not seen a problem like this before so after some fiddling with places on the computer they normally check said he was going to go on line to see what other computer geeks had to say about the problem. He returned telling me what I already knew, that many people were having the same problem but no suggestions on how to resolve it.  And worse yet?  Microsoft hasn't figured out how to correct the problem.  Hey Bill Gates, what the h#11 is going on here?

So brought the computer home and all I can do is wait until Microsoft figures out how to fix this and get the Windows Update.

Hope your Friday goes well for everyone.

Saundra

Hester, How Art Thou?

Just like my boy Ben, Hester is feeling a little neglected. What with the computer crash, lost files and trying to learn new Windows 10, drawing patterns ~ well you get the picture.  Here's Hester now.  I'm hooking in mostly #8.5 and this piece is measuring 14 x 18 hooked and don't know what it measured before hooking.  

The background is wool I overdyed eons ago before I'd learned the lesson of 'textures' by Barb Carroll.

Yes, Lauren, I know what you're thinking....."what am I going to hook next?"  I haven't a clue but when relaxing and pulling a couple loops ask myself that same question.  

But before having fun hooking I've several HUGE Polly patterns to draw for someone.  Plus in the very near future there is Cape May Rug Camp and I'm not even close to ready for that.  

Lori, if you read my blog want you to know that I adore this pattern! Thank you for making it available to us in Primitive Quilts and Projects.

Have a good evening everyone and hope you are having a stress free day/evening.  Soon I hope to be at that place too.

Saundra

The Itch I Had To Scratch

Remember when I commented there was a pattern I was itching to hook?  Well, even tho I am still working on patterns I wanted some play time for moi to take care of that itch.  Yup.... still have the second black kitten mat to finish too but had to put Hester on the frame.

I enlarged this to about 13 x 18 and didn't sew the binding on first until I know what technique I'll use to bind or maybe enlarge the background a little.  If enlarged then I'd sew on a piece of fabric around the perimeter so the design would fit on my frame okay.

As far as background color??????  I don't know yet ~ I'll worry about that later.  My go to background is usually primitive black but this gorgeous Hester cat IS black so that's out.

In case you missed the info posted previously, Hester is a free design in the latest issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects and is the design of Lori Brechlin.

I still have another pattern to draw but it is late in the evening, dishes to do so think I'll play for the rest of the evening.

OH!!!!!  Any of my followers going to Sauder next week?  My friend Evelyn Lawrence is doing a class using an adaptation of an antique rug which has a face as the subject.  The class is to let people hook a family member or friend in place of the antique rug's face.  Evelyn has hooked at least one sample of a subject and would love to see her rug as well as students' adaptations. 

No, this year I didn't a sample to send her as I did last year with the Harriet Powers class so you won't see mine hanging upside down this year.  If any of you are going to Sauder next week I'd love for you to pop in her class during lunch or whatever, take a picture and send to me.  I asked Evelyn to do it and she said something like..."since I had my entourage to take pictures for me she didn't have to".

I'm envious of you going to Sauder but in September I'll be at Cape May.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Saundra

What Does It Take To Call It Fun?

This isn't the original title I'd given my post but while walking Ben thought about what my post was really about and changed the title.  For me here are the items which would determine if I was having fun hooking or not:

Style/Subject ~ Definitely Primitive hooking for me.  I most favor antique adaptations since that is what pulled me into the hooking bug.  But sometimes whimsy wins out.  One day I want to do a landscape and a memory rug but those will need to meet the following criteria with maybe the occasional exception.

Wool strip size ~ for me it would be nothing less than #8 and preferably #8.5 & #9.  Yes I've hooked ONE rug with #3 for my departed Rotties but no more narrow cuts unless it is the center of an eye or center of a flower.

Wool color ~ I prefer earthy and olde colors.  Not particularly fond of bright colors although I did hook Ali Katz in bright for a specific purpose and that was fun.  PLUS, it was hooked in wide cuts so that helped.  Not fond of flat colors anymore either, but use them on occasion as I've a fondness for textures as that lends itself to primitive old rugs.

New on the Frame ~  AH.... now that is the one that has me now.  Don't ask if I'm having fun yet....'cuz I'm not.  As much as I enjoy the subject matter and antique adaptation this isn't new on the frame.  It is the second time hooking this design, one right after the other.  Yes, it is for a friend so I'm a bad girl for saying I'm not having fun.  Since just finishing one am itching to start something new.  Here is what the second Black Kitten Mat looks like as of this moment.

This a shot of the one I just finished with Betsy Reed's primitive binding compared to the one  in progress which will have a traditional cotton rug binding.

Now back to that fun part ~  I'm itching to put something new on my frame to hook before going to Cape may.  A few months ago that something was to hook Lucille Festa's Hobo Joe, below.

But, as you know I've become enamored with Hester, a free design in Primitive Quilts and Projects, which is a design by Lori Brechlin of NotForgotten Farm. 

Not sure about you other rug hookers but my excitement level can bee fickle and flit from one design to another in a flash ~ just as with Hobo Joe and Hester.  But, who knows, since these are small maybe I'll be able to hook them both before I leave for Cape May in September.

In other news..... I just noticed this will me my 1002 posting.  Dang, for a long time I watched the numbers to make that 1000 announcement but I missed it.  Well, that's me... a day late and dollar (or two) short.

Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra

Happy HOT August 1st

Oh yeah it was a hot one today and I only cut Ben's back yard with the push power mower and decided to cut the rest of the yard another day. 

Instead, decided to play a little and drew out my next project.  It is a free design in the latest issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects, a design by Lori Brechlin of NotForgotten Farm, the design is called Hester.

Dang, that's right, it was designed to be a needle punch design which is punched from the back.  Oh well, mine will be facing the other way because I'm not redrawing it for hooking.  I have, however, taken a little creative license and might hook the sliver moon in the corner. 

Before drawing it out I contemplated making the cat smaller with more background and have a couple pumpkins in the piece.  But this is a wonderful whimsical fall cat and decided to keep it big. 

The pattern I drew measures 13 1/2 x 17/ 1/4.  And as excited as I am to begin hooking it the the Black Kitten Mat needs to be finish for my friend.  Soooo, boys and girls, if you'd like to join me in the hooking of Hester journey you have time to draw out your design for either punching or hooking.  Would love it if you'd share your progress with me and I'd post our in-progress pictures on my blog and you could do the same if you have a blog.  I think it would be fun to show a variety of Hesters.  Heck, mine will already be different since it is drawn opposite of the picture in the book.

If you don't subscribe and would like to purchase the magazine or get a subscription this is what this issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects looks like.

Have a great evening everyone.  Time to walk my boy and hook a little.

Saundra

More Hooking List Wants

Oh no, just what I don't need... more rug projects to go on my never ending list of "want to hook" projects.  My Fall subscription to Primitive Quilts and Projects arrived yesterday and I'm in love. 

Meet Hester, a design by Lori Brechlin, which happens to be one of the designs in this latest issue.  You can be sure to see this pattern on my frame this fall.

Another design in the issue which piqued my interest is this design by Stacey West called Moonlight Magic.  Sorry the picture is small but you get the idea.

Actually there are several great patterns in there and even from Maggie Bonanomi and Rebekah Smith, just to name two more.  If you don't subscribe to the magazine you are totally missing out.  Click on the link above to subscribe.  No, I don't get any rebate from this....just a very satisfied customer.

Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra